The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-08
The Two Kings.

You might have had your pick of a
thousand bordermen and found none to
equal him. You might have selected
from every herd Of wild horses on the
prairies and found none to match the coal
black steed.
It 10 o'clock in the day as they fol-
low the blind trail along the Little Col
orado.
To the west are the White Mesa Noun
tains, the home of the grizzly and the
cinnamon-the hiding place of the great
graywolf-full of gloomy canyons in
which death lurks-here and there q
valley in which the bones of white men
lay bleaching in the MONDAY sun.
To the east the plains, cut through by
Indian trials-washed and quilted by the
cloud burat-heaved into fantastic shapes
by the awful power Of the earthquake.
The courage which separates man from
kith and kin and the world to dwell with
himself amidst hourly dangers is not to
be questioned. Men who die bravely on
the battlefield would draw back in alright
after one look into mountain canyon
at high noon. They are awed at the very
thought of the terrible travail which rent
the great hill asunder. The darkness
which falls into the rift tells of thousand
dangers. The iaint echoes which reach
the ear seem to tell you to fly to a place
of safety.
Watch the pair-horse and rider as
they slowly pass. There are four ears to
listen, four eyes to wach. No artist could
picture more grace and strength and
confidence. The rifle is ready with it's
deadly bullet-the muscles of the horse
culver at the thought of a long run in
which he will leave the wind behind.
There is danger, but both are ready.
There is wild exultation in knowing there
is danger.
Just here wedge. e.shaped ledge of rock
crowds down almost to the river. Once
past it and there is an acre of grass land,
an open basin in which the violets and
pansies bloom as if to smooth some ofthe
mountain wrinkles Of age away. Here
the hares scamper and play; here the
black-tailed deer cone to feed. It is as
if, after night of fury and destruction,
Naturs relented as day came again and
crowded back the rocks to create this
basin as peace Offering.
Stop!
The hunters horse has scarcely trampl-
ed the violets under foot when from the
opposite side rides forth another horse
man. 1t is an Indian chief. The proud
feathers of the eagle designate his rank.
The manner in which he sits on his horse
proves him a king. None but king
could ride that horse-his eyes flashing,
his nostrils quivering, his muscles stand
ing out like wires!
Stopl
The two kings are face to face. One
is king of his tribe, the other of noun.
tain, prairie and plain. Each bears the
scars of score of conflicts. At the red
kings belt bangles score of scalps. In
the stock of the white kings rifle are cut
dozen notches. The red king wears an
armlet'of the claws of the grizzly bear.
The white king can dangle before him
the great teeth of the same monster.
You listen for shouts of surprise and
defiance. There are none. You look for
some swift movement of offense or de-
fense. There is none. Horse to horse
man to man-king to kiDg-they stare at
each other, but make no movement
Let either rife be raised foot and blood
would flow. Let either horse paw the
ground and the conflict would begin.
There is scarcely q quiver of the eyelid
as the kings inspect each other. The
horses trembled with excitement, but not
8 hoof is raised.
The seconds whirl away-one-two-
three minutes go by. That basin would
have held a thousand spectators, and du.
ring those three minutes each man would
have lived a day. The suspense would
have paled every face and made every
limb tremble.
See!
Their right hands go up as if linked
together. The palm of each is outward
That signifies g. truce. Each horse
moves slowly forward and The men
almost touch each other as they pass
Each has found in the other king. A
struggle between them must end the
death of both. They are not to be
friends, but the fight is postponed for 8
day-a week-a year-until one can Sc
cure an advantage. Hands up-palmi
outward. Hunters and warriors have
often broken the pledge, but these mer
will not. Kings give their pledge and
die to keep it. They look defantly into
each others eyes rs they pass, and ther
their backs are toward each other. A
coward would turn and shoot. Kings
are not towards. There is no fear O.
treachery.
And they ride to the east and the wes
and pass out of sight and herring, and the
hares which ran away in alarm come
back to nibble at the sweet grasses, and
the brown bird whose nest and young
were almost crushed underfoot returned
to soothe the fright OF the fedgling'
and tell them that there is peace or
arth.-Detron Free Press.
Snakes.
MARQUETTE, MICH, August 29.-A
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